Jail Suicide Negligence

A Known Risk Requires Action

When a person enters jail, the government takes away their freedom and assumes a duty to keep them safe. If jail staff knows an inmate is suicidal and fails to protect them, they violate the 14th Amendment.

Warning Signs They Ignored

• Direct Statements: "I'm going to kill myself."
• Previous Attempts: Scars or history documented in intake forms.
• Withdrawal: Detox from opioids or alcohol drastically increases suicide risk.
• Bizarre Behavior: Manic episodes or hallucinations.

The Violation: "Deliberate Indifference"

To win a federal lawsuit, we must prove the jailers were "deliberately indifferent." This often looks like:

• Falsifying "15-minute welfare check" logs (pencil whipping).
• Leaving lethal items (sheets, shoelaces) in the cell.
• Putting a suicidal inmate in a cell with no camera.
• Mocking or taunting the inmate.